Ceremonies to be approved by the reasons and testimonies of other learned reverend and pious men it would do much good to many more I have taken the pains to adde such an Appendix Wherein I might have alledged reasons out of many other worthy Authours Archbish Whitgifts books against Mr. Cartwright Dr. Bridges Mr. Richard Hooker Dr. Covel Dr. Spark Dr. Gardiner Dr. Powell Dr. Collins Mr. Francis Mason Mr. Ambrose Fisher and others But because I write specially to such younger and poorer ministers as either are not able or willing to purchase many costly books of this subject or not at leisure to reade them I have thought best to referre such Readers if they be not satisfied with my short Abstract specially to three of the last who have read and weighed all which the former Authours have written with the replies and answers to wit our Reverend Bishop Mortons Defence printed anno 1618. Dr. Burges his answer to the replie of a namelesse Authour who laboured to confute or elude B. Mortons Defence printed anno 1631. and Mr. John Sprint his Cassander Anglicus printed anno 1618. These and I hope the least shortest or lowest prized of these will satisfie any reasonable Reader if he turn in them to the larger handling of the points by my allegations Their reasons are occasionally dispersed through their whole books but I have here collected and referred them to certain heads or chapters for the Readers better ease in finding them and judgement in weighing them often contracting their larger discourses into fewer words where they may be abbreviated and onely using their words at length where they are more necessary and urgent then shorter could be These few short chapters I hope will passe and be read where greater volumes will not And this I have done simply and plainly without respect of gaining any credit or applause of learning to my self but onely of their love and out of an earnest desire to draw them with a good Conscience willingly and cheerfully to do that which otherwise of necessitie they must do ¶ A table of the Chapters and Contents of this APPENDIX CHAP. I. OVr Ceremonies are Adjuncts not Parts of Gods proper worship and alterable Set forms of prayers are of Divine institution CHAP. II. Our book of publick prayers and Ceremonies made known to the famousest forrein Divines were approved by them all CHAP. III. Answering the objection of Significancie CHAP. IIII. Answering the objections drawn from the old Testament and of things formerly abused by the Jews and Heathens CHAP. V. Answering the objection of Ceremonies abused formerly by Papists CHAP. VI. Three particulars the Surplesse Crosse in baptisme and Kneeling at Communions cleared CHAP. VII Our Ceremonies commended for their ancient and profitable use CHAP. VIII Imposed by lawfull authoritie they may not be omitted without sinne CHAP. I. Our Ceremonies are injoyned as Adjuncts not Parts of Gods proper worship and therefore alterable Set forms of prayers are of Divine institution and alwayes used in Gods Church IT is the constant doctrine of all Divines and Churches both Ancient and Modern that God hath sufficiently comprehended and perspicuously delivered the whole substance of his own proper worship and things necessary to mans salvation in the holy Scriptures and that these things must evermore be the same in all Churches and unalterable But the circumstances and ceremonies of his publick worship as of place time ornaments gestures c. for the more reverent and devout performance thereof he hath left to the wisdome of every particular or nationall Church to make choice of so that all things be done according to that generall rule the Canon of Canons delivered by S. Paul 1. Cor. 14.40 26. Let all things be done decently orderly and to edification These things the Lord left to the libertie of every Church partly because they are not of the substance of his worship or of mens salvation but adjuncts onely and partly because one form thereof cannot fit every countrey or age but must be varied and applied to severall nations and times as shall be found most convenient Thus teacheth Saint Hierom epist 28. ad Lucinum concluding thus Vnaquaeque provincia abundet in suo sensu And thus Saint Ambrose and Saint Augustine who is accounted The mouth of the Fathers epist 86 118 119. alibi passim Totum hoc genus say they liberas habet observationes And thus that old common saying Dissonantia jejunii non tollit consonantiam fidei And thus Zanchius the great reformed Schoolman tomo 8. Loco 16. De traditionibus Ecclesiasticis pag. 821 c. And thus all other late Divines as will appeare full enough in our chapters following And thus our Church professeth in our book of articles Anno 1562. Artic. 34. Every particular or nationall Church hath authoritie to ordain change and abolish ceremonies or rites of the Church ordained onely by mans authority so that all things be done to edifying And in the preface before the book of common Prayer confirmed by act of Parliament touching ceremonies we have these words We think it convenient that every countrey should use such ceremonies as they shall think fit to the setting forth of Gods honour and glory and to the reducing of the people to a most perfect and godly living without errour or superstition and that they should put away other things which they perceive to be most abused as in mens ordinances it often chanceth diversly in divers countreys And these words also These Ceremonies are retained for a discipline and order which upon just causes may be altered and changed and therefore are not to be esteemed equall with Gods law See here how vain and ignorant their doubt is that think our Ceremonies are imposed as parts of Gods proper worship And whereas some mislike that any set form of prayers should be imposed in the publick service of God I wish them to consider better that God himself not onely allowed but imposed such and his best servants used such Numb 6.23 On this wise saith the Lord shall ye blesse the children of Israel saying c. the three verses following set down the very words to be said and Num. 10.35 36. there is the set prayer which Moses must pronounce when the Ark was to go forwards All the Psalmes are prayers or praises of God in set forms and words answering the length and number of musick notes and when it was to rest And Deut. 26.3 the set form of words to be said at the offering of the first fruits and vers 5. and 13. And Psalme 92. was made properly for the Sabbath day and Psalme 22. for every morning and Psalme 102 for times of affliction This appeareth by the titles of these Psalmes The like is 2. Chron. 29.30 And we finde Rom. 1.7 1. Cor. 1.3 2. Cor. 1.2 Galat. 1.3 Ephes 1.2 Saint Paul used the same set form of words or prayers without variation And our Saviour Christ himself Matth.
through a glasse darkly and know but in part and neither they nor you must think too highly of them but soberly according as God hath given to every man his different measure Rom. 12.3 6. 2. We must know also that the Scriptures which teach us not to offend our brethren as 1. Cor. 8.9 12 13. and 10.28 and Rom. 14.15 16 21. do speak of things in our own power to do or not to do and not of things commanded by the Magistrate whom we must obey both for fear of punishment and also for Conscience sake Rom. 13.4 5. And thus Dr. Saravia resolves Scandall of the weak cannot take place against a publick law to which subjects must submit Saravia Defens divers grad ministr cap. 25. fol. 581. If it be a fault it is certainly a lesser fault to offend some ignorant people then to offend the governours for that is onely against Charitie this against Charitie and Dutie or Justice an exemplary disobedience tending to the dissolution of government 3. When we perform obedience to magistracie commanding things in their own nature indifferent no man ought to take offence at us if he do the sinne is his and not ours It is Scandalum acceptum non datum and he must be better taught See for this two notable discourses of Ceremonies or traditions and scandall in Zanchius tomo 8. pag. 814. seq edit Samoneti 1605. This necessity of subjection our judicious exiles and martyrs in Queen Maries time did very well know practise and perswade testifying thereby also their good opinion of our Church service and ceremonies Cranmer protested if the Queen would give him leave that he with Peter Martyr and foure or five others would prove our Common prayers Sacraments and Ceremonies lately set forth by King Edward 6. to be more pure and according to Gods word then any that had been in England these thousand yeares before Acts and Mon. fol. 1465. Bishop Ridley and Grindall judged that nothing could be disproved in them by the word of God Acts and Mon. Dr. Taylor said no Christian conscience could be offended with any thing therein Acts and Mon. fol. 1521. At Frankford when some exiles disliked them other most reverend persons stood strongly for them as Thomas Leaver John Jewel John Mullins John Parkhurst Laurence Humfrey James Pilkington Alexander Nowell James Haddon Edwin Sands Edmund Grindall c. all worthy men Bishops Deans Doctours or Martyrs afterwards sealing the truth they held with danger exile and losse of their lives See the discourse of the troubles at Frankford fol. 16.23 19. Their diversity of opinions caused them also to seek the judgements of other Churches and teachers as Calvine Beza Bullinger fol. 25 199. Also Robert Horn Thomas Leaver John Mullins Thomas Bentham William Cole John Parkhurst Laurence Humfrey c. were fully determined to use no other order or ceremonies then those aforesaid of King Edward Discours fol. 16 223. And James Haddon Edwin Sands Edmund Grindall Christopher Goodman confidently brought the same rites into the English Church there fol. 22 23. They also at Frankford wrote unto the like Exiles at Zurick perswading them to stand to the death for defence of the same Ceremonies and Mr. Fox was one of the 17. that subscribed to the letter Adde unto these those other worthies that in more peaceable times stuck at our Ceremonies for a time yet in time upon better consideration conformed themselves and used them Bishop Hooper preached and wrote earnestly against them chiefly against Episcopall garments and Surplesses and was imprisoned for it for a season but his reasons were answered and himself perswaded by Bucer Martyr and Calvine to conform so that afterwards he did weare the ornaments and preached before the King in the Bishops robes Calvin epist. 120. fol. 217. Bucer Script Anglican fol. 705. de re vestiar Hooper Pet. Mart. loc com ad finem inter epistolas fol. 1085. Mr. Greenham protested he would observe them if they were enjoyned him Mr. Dearing used them Bishop Jewel Dr. Whitakers Dr. Fulk conformed so did Dr. Humfrey after long standing out as also Dr. Raynolds Dr. Spark Dr. Chaloner Dr. Ayry Dr. Chaderton Mr. Knewstubs and very studiously perswaded others to do the like as did also Mr. Sprint and Dr. Burges having throughly examined all the reasons pro contra and many other godly learned men too long here to be reckoned And if any refuse them still because they think it a disgrace to their persons or ministery to alter their mindes and courses having never yet used them but rather spoken and preached against them I wish them to consider well and follow the examples of these aforenamed worthy men But if these worthies of later times be not sufficient let us set before our eyes that ancient glorious light of Gods Church Saint Augustine who in his age wrote and published to the world two books of Retractations wherein he acknowledged and corrected the errours which he had committed in his former books These books shewed that he religiously preferred Gods honour and the Churches good before his own credit and that he laboured both by good report and ill report to bring men to the truth and sought with Saint Paul 1. Cor. 10.33 not his own profit but the profit of many that they might be saved which turned to the great commendation of his ingenuitie and sinceritie And it may teach all men to acknowledge with him that since the Apostles times the knowledge of Gods ministers comes not unto them by sudden revelation or infusion from God immediately or all at once but by succession and degrees by labour study search conference and contention with the erroneous By which means Saint Augustine profited in knowledge more and more to his lives end as Saint Peter exhorteth all men to do in his last words of his last chapter of his last epistle And therefore to professe our profiting in knowledge ought to be no shame unto us and to confesse our slips or errours even publickly to reduce men to the knowledge of some necessary truth shews our charitie to them our piety to God and the sinceritie of our own hearts Lastly that I may speak generally to all countrey ministers and other subjects but chiefly to the younger ruder sort I say We inferiour people may well think our Princes have reasons to do what they do though we comprehend them not For we live as it were in low valleys and plains and see not far about us but Princes sit as on tops of hills and see both into former ages what was done then and into forrein countreys what is done now how all things are and have been carried with the reasons circumstances and events of all assisted also with the advice and judgement of the gravest wisest learnedest Divines and other choisest counsellours of greatest experience by whose grave counsels with due respect to former ages and the present state of neighbour nations they set down orders fittest for their times and countreys which we countrey people should not rashly censure but willingly submit unto thinking humbly of our selves and reverently of their wisdomes Farre be from us that ridiculous fable recited by Plutarch in the life of Agis and Cleomenes of the serpents tail that would needs leade the body another while as if the head had already led it too long but the tail wanting eyes and brains led the head and body into dangerous places and mangled them all to pieces or that censure of Tully in his book De senectute To the question Cedo quî vestram Rempub. tantam amisistis tam citó The answer was Proveniebant Oratores novi stulti adolescentuli We should think also seriously of that Medicall and Politicall rule Omnis mutatio periculosa which S. Augustine applies to Church ceremonies Where lawfull customes are setled saith he though some other more profitable perchance might be found out yet Ipsa mutatio consuetudinis etiam quae adjuvat utilitate novitate perturbat The very change of setled customes though it help with some commodity yet will it do hurt with the novitie Which occasioned the Locrines custome that whosoever would bring in a new law amongst them should come and declare it to the assembly with a halter about his neck that if it were not approved good for the Common-wealth he might presently be hanged for his desire of innovation To which purpose our late gracious Soveraigne King James in his proclamation prefixed before the book of Common prayer hath these words Neither are we ignorant of the inconveniences that do arise in government by admitting innovation in things once setled by mature deliberation and how necessary it is to use constancy in upholding the publick determinations of states for such is the unquietnesse and unstedfastnesse of some dispositions affecting every yeare new forms of things as if they should be followed in their unconstancie would make all actions of States ridiculous and contemptible whereas the stedfast maintaining of things by good advice established is the weal of all Common-wealths FINIS
Temple of Diana at Ephesus the Temple of Apollo at Delphos of Jupiter Amon of Isis and Osyris in Egypt with many other And great Kings and Princes were their Priests Rex idem hominum PhaebÃque sacerdos And though the vulgar had opinions of many gods yet the wiser sort acknowledged but one as the books De Mundo ascribed to Aristotle and Philo say The same God in regard of severall offices was called by severall names as for moderating the seas called Neptune for moderating the windes Aeolus c. For duties towards their Neighbours The Gentiles knew and practised the substance of the whole Second Table at least so farre as concerned outward duties Children honoured and obeyed their Parents as Sichem did Hamor Gen. 34.4 See D. Williams Church lib. 3 cap. 3. pag. 347. Gen 20.4 5. not presuming to take a wife without his consent and employment Murder every where most abhorred and grievously punished Abimelech King of Gerar would not come neare Sarah hating Adulterie when he knew she was a mans wife The Romane Lucretia prized her chastity above her life 1. Cor. 5.1 Incest unheard of among the Gentiles Wives subjection to their husbands commanded by Ahasuerus Esther 1. And compulsion to drink more then a man list forbidden by the same Gentile Monarch Wrong oppression theft defrauding any man of his right forbidden by the generall rule Reusner in Symbol Imperat lib. 1. Symb. 29. Fac quod vis pati and Quod tibi fieri non vis alteri nè feceris Do nothing to another which thou wouldest not have done to thy self Reusnerus in Symbolis cites many heathen authours which deliver that rule It was the common * Which he learnt of his mother Mammaea the scholar of that great Origen Isaacus Casaub Annot. in Julium Capitolinum word of Alexander Severus which he caused also to be proclaimed by his heraulds whensoever he punished his subjects or souldiers which had wronged any man And for all other morall and civill righteousnesse honesty justice temperance sobriety providing for the poore helping the distressed speaking the truth observing leagues contracts and promises avoiding perjury punishing vice honouring vertue and living orderly the Gentiles had many excellent laws wisely made and carefully observed The generall observation of these in all nations shewed the substance thereof to be naturall notions and principles written in their hearts and the variety of their promulgations and penalties in severall nations argued deductions and consequents drawn from those naturall notions by the force of reason These naturall laws the most wise Creatour did write in the hearts of men for these causes 1. Causes and reasons thereof That there might be a perpetuall difference betwixt men and beasts Had God given man a strong wit understanding policy and not withall a Conscience or naturall law to guide him he had been of all Creatures the most dangerous 2. To preserve humane society and keep mens actions in some tolerable limits by ordaining good laws to bridle the disorderly and protect the innocent in quiet possession of their rights and for the common good Aug. de civitate Dei lib. 4. cap. 4. Rom. 1. else saith S. Augustine Quid sunt regna nisi magna latrocinia 3. To be an ayd to man better to search out the Creatour and to serve him We may say of God as Seneca said of Nature Perditura fructum sui si solitudini ostenderet He had lost the fruit of his work had he shewed it onely to beasts which could not understand it so God had lost his glory and man his felicity 4 S. Paul addes Rom. 1.20 To make the impious and unrighteous unexcusable if they did not according to that law which their own Conscience dictated unto them This was an inestimable benefit of God Vse 1 to give every man such a worthy guide of his life for morall civill and divine duties in observing whereof he might live with much comfort credit profit and earthly happinesse And that these laws are undoubtedly just and equall written by God himself as the first Tables and so legible and in such plain characters that the unlearnedest man may reade them though he know no letters of any other book and in such a language as men of all nations and tongues may understand them and that a man hath this book for his counsellour at home with him he need not make long journeys to seek for a counsellour or tedious waiting to attend his leisure give costly fees to attain his counsell which haply may prove doubtfull and untrusty he hath this his bosome friend free faithfull patient as neare and as true to him as his own soul with whom he may conferre again and again at his leisure and pleasure till he be fully resolved what he may lawfully do or must avoid And This is yet a greater benefit Vse 2 that this Law-book is not a dead thing like other books containing dead letters or precepts but like the divine word of God written in the heart Hebr. 4.12 quick lively powerfull operative and piercing as Gods Lieger Ambassadour residing in our hearts to shew us our duties and call upon us to do them whereupon our Conscience is not onely called a Book Paedagogus animae sociatus Origen but a Schoolmaster also to urge us to learn and perform our duties Monet movet movendo docet docendo movet God knowing our ignorance Conscientia est speculum fraenum calcar flagellum gives us this book to instruct us knowing our headstrong inclination to evil gives us this bridle to restrain us and knowing our dulnesse to all good duties gives us this spurre to quicken us And all this is our Conscience which if we do amisse shall scourge us But As the benefit is great Vse 3 of this Light to guide us and of this Heat to quicken us as of the Sunne in the great world So is the danger great if we shut our eyes against the Notions and our hearts against the Motions of our Conscience For this is to be wilfully blinde when we may see or wilfully wicked when we do see our dutie and do it not This is plainly to rebell against God himself to thrust his Deputie out of his throne and office This is to provoke the Lord to give us up to our own hearts lusts and to have no further care over us as Rom. 1.24 26 28. And this is to draw upon us a most dangerous consequence by degrees through the custome of sinne to make our Conscience senselesse seared cauterized or to choke and kill it or in such sort to extinguish the light and life thereof that the greatest sinnes will be practised without any check or remorse to the intolerable hurt of the Church and Common-wealth the shame of our lives the damnation of our souls Ephes 4.17 The Gentiles walk in the vanity of their minde 18. Having the understanding darkned being alienated from the
with fair pretences hiding thy intents from the abused people while thine own end is hid from thy self God sees all thy Conscience writes all while thou needlesly and heedlesly runnest a full careere to thine own destruction And thou David See 2. Sam. 12. and the chapters following from the shepherds staffe raised to the Kings sceptre and now setled in thy kingdome in great wealth peace honour and prosperitie wilt thou now forget thy self so farre that thine own hundred sheep will not satisfie thee but thou must take thy neighbours onely ew that lies in his bosome wilt thou commit so foul an act and yet a fouler to murder the right innocent owner and to do it the closelier wilt thou betray the Lords guiltlesse army into the enemies hand and cause his name to be blasphemed among the heathen and wilt thou hereby draw plagues upon thee and thine and cut off thy prosperitie when thou needest not and doth thy Conscience all this while sleep and will never awake No no thy Conscience is writing all the while a chronicle of all thy doings and after nine moneths when the childe is born Nathan will open thy book and make thee reade thine own sinne which will cost thee many teares and much heart-grief and many afflictions from thine own subjects from thine own children all thy life long after For our innocencie and good works Vse 2 we need not hunt for eye-witnesses to cleare and to cheere us Hic murus aheneus esto Nil conscire sibi nullâ pallescere culpâ Horat. Integer vitae scelerÃsque purus non eget Mauri jaculis nec arcu c. Idem Conscience alone giveth sufficient comfortable testimony A cleare Conscience is a brazen wall to keep off all the darts of sinne or shame which ill tongues can throw against us He that is of sound life and free from ill-doing hath his heaven within him and may say with S. Paul 2. Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicitie and godly sinceritie not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you-wards In midst of slanders and uncharitable surmises of malicious men comfort thy self with the witnesse of thy sinceritie and innocencie as S. Paul did there and Acts 23.1 Men and brethren I have lived in all good Conscience before God unto this day And Acts 24.16 Herein I do exercise my self to have alwayes a Conscience void of offence towards God and towards men and neare his death 2. Tim. 4.6 Now said he I am ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousnesse c. Our Conscience also will witnesse Vse 3 whether in doing good works we serve God or our selves that is whether we do the works of our vocation with true sinceritie and simplicitie of heart and observing all due circumstances referring all to the true ends Gods glory chiefly and secondly our own salvation comfort and profit and the good of others without hurt or wrong to any which if we do our Conscience will assure us 2. Cor. 5.5 Rom. 8.14 15 16. Eph. 1.13 14 2. Cor. 1.22 we are guided by Gods Spirit are in Gods favour have received the earnest of our inheritance the Spirit of adoption although we feel still imperfections in our selves as S. Paul did Rom. 7.21 c. or whether we do our good works in hypocrisie and for our own by-ends which may be profitable to others but neither please God nor our own Conscience soundly as they ought to do Thus to apply it onely to our present meeting Preachers may finde it written in their Conscience See Gabr. Powels consideration of the ministers supplication to the Parliament 1606. pag. 11 12. whether their preaching hath been directed to Gods true service for his glory and the right information and falvation of his people or whether to their own praise to shew their learning eloquence and wit or to please and humour their patrons friends and people for maintenance and preferment I wish we all could say with S. Paul Acts 20.26 I take you all to record this day that I am pure from the bloud of all men and have taught you all the counsell of God and Acts 24.16 and 2. Cor. 1.12 Our Visitours and their inferiour officers may finde written in their Consciences whether they make such a meeting as this Morum or Nummorum visitatio D. Boys in a visitation Sermon visiting to do good to the Church or to themselves Sure I am these offices and meetings were ordained for good and the execution thereof doth much good in our Church to see that ministers do their duties preach true and profitable doctrine and that diligently live honest and unoffensive lives and be examples of all goodnesse to their flocks to see whether Church-buildings furniture books vestments and especially people be in good order They that do all these good offices deserve good recompense for their pains and care their persons and offices are venerable honourable and exceeding profitable to the Church But the good performance of the best Visitours may be much hindered by corrupt or negligent under-officers Church-wardens Side-men Apparitours which are the eyes of the Visitours I wish them to reade seriously in their Conscience whether they serve God or Mammon or God for Mammon whether they betray not the trust committed to them making the Visitours look through false glasses D. Boys ibid. or spectacles to see Omnia bene in billis when there is rather Omnia malè in villis and their feeling is better then their seeing and so no good reformation follows because no good information went before I can go no further but onely advise men to look to their Consciences lest they become partiall causes of the continuance of any evil in the Church and thereby derive much of the guilt and punishment upon themselves whereas by conscionable execution of their office and trust they may procure much good to the Church settle true peace in their Conscience and derive upon themselves many blessings from God with love and praise from men But I must hasten to the third part of my Text and hasten through it III. PART Their thoughts accusing or excusing THeir discursive thoughts by comparing these two books together the one containing Facta the other Regulam factorum the Law of God and the Chronicle of our lives either accuse and condemne for their disagreement or excuse and acquit for their agreement The first book makes the Proposition or Major of a Practicall Syllogisme Thus thou must do The second book makes the Assumption or Minor Thus thou hast done The Conscience with the discoursing thoughts out of those Premises draws the Conclusion Ergò thou hast done evil or
of an indifferent Ceremonie is all the impression or inscription that it hath even as the Elements in the Lords Sacraments are onely sacramentall in the sacramentall use and not before or after as the water used in Baptisme Dr. Burges in a digression pag. 475. seq shews great differences in the operative vertue holinesse necessitie and worship of God which Papists place in their Ceremonies being wondrous many from our few and plain ordained onely for comelinesse order and edification And pag. 285. Ours are meerly significative theirs beleeved also to be operative as exorcismes crossings sprinkling of holy-water oyl chrisme exsufflation ringing of hallowed bells and such like to drive away the Devil ours arbitrary theirs held necessary ours of morall duties onely theirs signifying and shadowing out divine graces procuring and meriting them at Gods hand Our small threeds I hope may well passe through the needles eye where these their Camels cannot 295. CHAP. VI. The Surplesse Crosse at Baptisme and Kneeling at Communions approved BUt this is better seen in the particulars which our people do most stick at the Surplesse the Crosse and Kneeling at the receiving of our Lords Supper Of the good use of the Surplesse amongst us I have said enough in the third chapter now of our difference from the Papists Among them the Surplesse might not be used untill some Bishop or his deputie had solemnly hallowed it with prayers to defend the wearer from the Devils assaults and with many crossings and holy-water sprinkling which done no publick act of ministeriall service might be done without it except in the Masse which required higher geare The Masse-priest either with the Surplesse or without it at his choice must put on the Missal furniture the Amice Alb Tunicle Stole and the rest otherwise he sinnes mortally These things Dr. Burges sheweth and proveth out of their own books pag. 475 476. It is not so with us we use the Surplesse onely as a decent distinctive garment as also the additions of hoods shewing learned mens degrees in the Universities may assure us In which use the Divines of reformed Churches do allow it according to the examples of the ancient Fathers Chrysostom Hom. 83. in Matt. Hieronymus lib. 1. cont Pelag. Of this judgement is Zanchius De Redempt cap. 16. Pet. Martyr loc epist Hooper fol. 1087. citing Chrysostome and Cyprian Bullinger and Gualter citing Theodoret hist. 2.27 Socr. 6.22 Polanus Zepperus c. Thus Mr. Sprint pag. 88. Melancthon and Benhagius counselled ministers to weare the Surplesse rather then with foolish frowardnesse to trouble and hinder the Church Concil Melancth part 2. fol. 91 92. Sprint pag. 129. Bucer wrote that godly men might use these garments godly Martyr calls the Surplesse a thing indifferent which makes a man neither godly nor wicked Calvine would not have men contend de pileo veste linea Beza would not have churches forsaken for Surplesse Caps or such other things truely indifferent to whose writing herein subscribed Nicolaus Colladonus Simon Goulartius Francis Porta Henric. Stephanus and finally Mr. Cartwright himself Sprint 130. seq Bucer script Angl. Censura fol. 458. c. Martyr loc com fol. 1085 1086 1127. Calv. epist 120. fol. 217. Beza epist. 8. fol. 77. Grindallo epist 12. fol. 98 99. Of the Crosse in Baptisme our use is 1. Lawfull 2. Safe 3. Profitable 4. Necessary 1. See our 30 Canon Lawfull By the judgement of the Primitive Church which used it and gloried in it without any thought of superstition for which cause it was retained also by the reverend Fathers and great Divines in the dayes of King Edward 6. of which some suffered banishment some death for the testimony of the truth and such as returned from exile in Queen Elisabeths time continued the use of it You must condemne all these grave ancient and late-learned Divines Fathers Martyrs if you condemne us if you absolve them you absolve us Adde unto them The late harmonie of confessions of other reformed Churches allowing it and also the most learned particular Protestant Divines Bucer who saith It is nec indecens nec inutile Beza who bids rather use it then forsake the ministerie and Vtantur ipsi sicut par est libertate suâ Hemingius Adiaphora sunt let not schismes arise for them Zanchius It may be used without superstition yea with commendation and without perill and bindes not the Conscience Polanus It was used by the Fathers without sinne so saith Zepperus and Mr. Perkins and Goulartius cited by Mr. Sprint pag. 138. seq Bucer script Anglic. censur cap. 12. fol. 479. Beza quo priùs fol. 98 100. Heming Syntag. ad 4. leg decalogi § 33 34. fol. 365. comment in 1. cap. Joan. he saith Minimè improbo signum crucis Zanchius compend Relig. loc 16. de tradit eccles fol. 654. Polanus in Ezech. cap. 9. vers 4. fol. 258. Zepper de Sacrament cap. 16. fol. 357 358. de polit eccles lib. 1. cap. 10. fol. 57 58. Mr. Perkins Problem tit Signum crucis sect 1 2 3. fol. 83 84. 2. Safe without doubt See our 30 Canon § Thirdly c as it is used by our Church with sufficient Cautions and Exceptions against all Popish superstitions and errours For 1. it is no part of the substance of Baptisme but being used after the infant is fully and perfectly baptized it neither addes any thing to the vertue and perfection of Baptisme nor being omitted doth detract any thing from the effect of it And in this use we hold conformitie with the safe and honourable Primitive Church but no conformitie with the later Papists as Dr. Burges well sheweth Dr. Burges pag. 476. seq Our ministers saith he do not crosse themselves nor the people nor fonts water Communion table cups or the bread and wine or any other of Gods ordinances all which their priests are bound to for their consecration and without which nothing is with them consecrated or holy We crosse not the childe before baptisme on the forehead breast or any part which their priests must do to drive away the devill and to make the Sacraments efficacie more easy and strong And after baptisme we crosse not the infant with oyl chrisme or without on the crown as their priests must do to give them their full Christendome lest they die before confirmation And at confirmation our Bishop is not to crosse the forehead with chrisme or without which in Popery is injoyned as an essentiall part of their Sacrament of confirmation Thus Dr. Burges there who also reciteth manifold abuses of the crosse among the Papists pag. 584. seq worthy to be read but too long to be here inserted 3. Profitable for as by Baptisme we receive a great blessing so we must be mindefull to perform a great duty As the infant by Baptisme is made a member of Christ the childe of God and an inheritour of the kingdome of heaven that is a
partaker of all benefits purchased by Christ adoption grace and glory in their times so by being received into the Church militant for a time he must take upon him the crosse of Christ Matt. 10.38 Luke 9.23 or his crosse and follow Christ and that dayly of which dutie to put him in minde he is signed with the signe of the crosse upon his forehead in token that he is to become a faithfull constant and valiant souldier of Christ and as our book speaks not be ashamed to confesse the faith of Christ crucified but manfully to fight under his banner against sinne the world and the devill c. This is profitable not onely to the new-baptized but to all the assembly to put them in minde of their duties promised in their baptisme who can be content to receive benefits but are oft forgetfull of their duties 4. Necessary See our 30. canon in the end and our last chapter here though not to the essence of the sacrament of baptisme yet necessary to be added to the solemnitie of baptisme for the reason before-said Necessary also and not to be omitted without sinne because it is commanded by lawfull authority And whereas the 30 Canon saith By this lawfull ceremonie the childe is dedicated to the service of Christ It must be understood onely Declared to be dedicated saith Dr. Burges pag. 476 c. But concerning another point which Dr. Burges addeth That if the infant be in perill of death not likely to live to make profession of Christ crucified our book directs us to baptize it but not to use the crossing c. because haply some man might take his meaning to be that our book forbad the crossing in that case I desired our most learned and judicious Bishops judgement of this point among others who most fatherly and lovingly wrote me this answer with his own hand I do conceive that unlesse it be certified in this particular case that the childe was formerly admitted into Christs congregation and signed with the signe of the Crosse there is no warrant in the Liturgie to omit that signe I certifie you that all is well done and that this childe is received into the number of the children of God How is he received For though the word Receiving go before the Crossing as the 30 Canon saith yet they are conjoyned but by that form of receiving expressed in Publike baptisme We receive this childe into the congregation of Christs flock and do signe him c. The other interpretation and inference of Dr. Burges would open a gap to palliate inconformity by causing the midwives or some one else to be medling with every inconformable mans childe and so draw it to this case of Private baptisme to avoid the signing of it with the signe of the Crosse JOHN LINCOLN In the Primitive Church also Oecum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mox à baptismo initio Ecclesiae ob persecutionem laying on of hands was used presently upon the baptized to confirm and strengthen them against the persecutions of those times Concerning kneeling at the receiving of the holy Communion We finde that kneeling bowing the body or falling on their faces in most reverent sort was used by Gods people upon any signe of Gods presence or grace exhibited unto them as 2. Chron. 7.3 When the children of Israel saw how the fire came down and the glory of the Lord upon the house they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement and worshipped and praised the Lord saying For he is good and his mercy endureth for ever The like we reade Levit. 9. vers the last And there came a fire from before the Lord and consumed upon the Altar the burnt offering and the fat which when all the people saw they shouted and fell on their faces If any man think this was lawfull onely at the extraordinary or miraculous tokens of Gods presence let him consider these ordinaries Psalme 132.7 We will go into his tabernacles we will worship at his footstool The Hebrew text of this is translated verbatim by Pagnine Montanus thus Incurvabimus nos scabello pedum ejus and by Tremelius and Junius Incurvamus nos honorem exhibentes ante scabellum pedum ejus and Psal 99.5 Exalt ye the Lord our God and worship at his footstool for he is holy margent Or It is holy Pagnine and Montan. Incurvate vos scabello pedum ejus Tremelius Ad scabellum pedum ejus Gods people worshipped not the footstool but God at or before his footstool as Psal 95.2 Let us come before his presence ante faciem ejus Tremel 6. Let us worship and bowe down let us kneel before the Lord our maker to wit in his Temple or before his Temple as did Ezra Ezra 10.1 When Ezra had prayed confessed wept and cast himself down before the house of God Pagnine Cùm concidisset coram domo Dei Montan. Procidens ad facies domûs Dei Tremel Prosternens se ante domum Dei. He worshipped not the house of God but the God of that house Why may not why should not we do the like at the receiving of these holy mysteries without idolatrie or any breach of the second commandment Protestants that do not hold a transubstantiation or turning of the substance of the outward elements into the substance of the very body and bloud of our Saviour need not or cannot in reason think that our kneeling at the receiving thereof is a worshipping of the creature yet because they verily beleeve and know that these are Sacraments and seals unto us ordained by Christ to signifie and represent unto us the breaking of his body and shedding of his bloud for our redemption and more to confirm and deliver unto us the assurance of our salvation purchased by him also to convey it unto us as by certain conduit-pipes by his power wisdome and mercy ordained the inestimable benefits of his death and passion in regard of this incomparable use and benefit we cannot receive them with too much humility reverence and thankfulnesse Therefore kneeling at the Communion hath been used and allowed by the most excellent Divines of reformed Churches Sprint 142 c. Calvine alloweth it in Orthodox professours Epist 292. fol. 479. Beza epist 12. pag. 100. edit Genevae 1575. Geniculatio denique saith he dum symbola accipiuntur speciem quidem habet piae ac Christianae venerationis ac proinde olim potuit cum fructu usurpari here is a confession of the antiquitie of kneeling and the pious and profitable use thereof but because after that the new doctrine of Transubstantiation was brought into the Church and thereupon the worshipping of the elements as if they were God himself he thinks it was well done to take it away but he addeth Intereatamen cùm ista per se non sit idololatrica idem de illis quod de proximè praecedentibus sentimus to wit they are tolerable and may be